Romantic Comedy
By ADELLE PITTS ‘27 and MELIA THIBAULT ’27
“10 Things I Hate About You.” “Notting Hill.” “When Harry Met Sally.” “Love, Actually.” “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” These household movie names all share one big thing in common: they’re all rom-coms. Rom-coms, or romantic comedies, are a major genre in the film industry, and for good reason. From ‘80s classics to early 2000s favorites to recently released blockbusters like “Anyone But You,” rom-coms have captured people’s hearts all across the world with their irresistible charm and their timeless message of love. This unique genre has the ability to create both joy and laughter, making it beloved by millions of viewers across the world. Unfortunately, however, not everyone likes rom-coms. Shocker, we know. But some describe them as predictable, with unrealistic expectations of romance. And if that’s your opinion, or even if it isn’t, then keep reading, because we love rom-coms, and we think you should, too.
The hallmark of rom-coms is that, no matter what, the two main characters always end up together. Always. And this is one of the main reasons why we love to watch them. It’s being able to take comfort in the knowledge that no matter what, love will always find a way. Even if our own lives are messy, complicated, and generally unpleasant, in rom-coms, we are transported to a world where people will run through traffic, crash weddings, and travel across the world to end up with the one they love. Essentially, they will do whatever it takes, despite their differences, because they have a love that’s worth fighting for. And it’s these scenes, the ones where the main characters reconnect, where they find each other and have that moment, where they kiss in the rain and music swells around them, that our lonely hearts become full. For all us hopeless romantics out there, we can have hope for the future that one day, a love like this will find us, and we will princess-twirl our way off to a happy ending. This might not happen, but it can’t hurt to be delusional.
The fact that rom-coms are unrealistic is one of the main reasons why some people don’t like watching them. Boring! Sure, rom-coms don’t reflect real love or real relationships. We know that they are not accurate depictions of life, because in life, we don’t always get a happy ending. However, we would argue that rom-coms were never about reflecting real life in the first place. If anything, they are meant to be unrealistic, and that’s what we love about them. If you’re looking for the next avant-garde movie that makes you question everything, then rom-coms may not be your cup of tea. But if you’re looking for something to watch when you’re having a bad day, are upset, or just want to turn your mind off, rom-coms are perfect. And honestly, if you’re looking for a movie that accurately reflects real life, maybe you should just watch a documentary instead.
While all rom-coms are pretty good, some stand out from the rest, with phenomenal actors, great writing, and exciting plots. So, we have compiled a list of our top recommendations that you should watch, whether you’re into rom-coms or not. The first one has to be “Love, Actually”. A compilation of vignettes about love around the holidays, “Love, Actually” ties all of the different stories into one rich storyline that makes you feel a lot more optimistic about the world. It also begins and ends with real cuts of people greeting loved ones at airports, and what’s more heartwarming than that? Our second recommendation is “Notting Hill.” Starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, “Notting Hill” is the story of a bookshop owner and a famous movie star forming an unlikely romance that overcomes societal norms and expectations. It’s sure to make you feel all the feels. Finally, our last recommendation is “Anyone But You.” A more modern rom-com, this one is based on Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” and it provides a unique modern twist of a timeless classic. It is important to note that these are only a few of our favorites (the list goes on and on and on), and there are so many rom-coms worth watching.
To wrap it up, what makes rom-coms so special is their simplicity. While the characters, situations, and locations may change, one thing stays constant. The characters always end up together. And while that may seem boring or monotonous, we choose to take comfort in that predictability. We know that “love will always find a way” in the movies. Real life is crazy, and that’s something we can’t change, sorry. But what we can change is your life, by encouraging you to watch rom-coms. After all, we’re just girls, writing in the newspaper, asking you to give them a chance (“Notting Hill” reference - go watch it!).